Bolt Catch Release Spring Issue

[PLC]

Hello fellow 15-22 owners. This weekend I decided to go a little beyond a standard field strip to clean my 15-22. I noticed lots of gunk down in the bolt catch release housing and decided to remove the catch and clean it out.

Well, everything went great until I removed the roll pin holding the bolt catch release. Once I removed the catch I heard a little "ping" sound and saw my bolt catch release spring shoot across the room. Luckily I was able to locate and recover it.

My problem now is that I do not know how or where it goes back in. I've searched for some vids and pics but to no avail.

So I was hoping that another member on this forum could provide some details (maybe even pics) as to where/how this little spring goes back in.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Pete

 

[Jyezahn]

The bolt catch spring goes into the hole beneath where you took out the roll pin, facing outward. It provides outward pressure against the smaller part of the bolt catch/release paddle.

 

[PLC]

Thanks for the suggestion, Jyezahn.

So I tried that and put everything back together but now my bolt will not hold open when pulling charging handle back (mag is inserted). It almost seems that there is to much outward pressure on the smaller part (bottom) of the catch release. The behavior is like when one would press the release paddle in normal operation.

Could it be that I am missing another part from the catch release assembly? As I am not sure if anything else may have flown out during cleaning.

Any thoughts?

 

[tacticool22]

There is nothing else that goes in there.
There are only 3 pieces
Spring
Catch/release
Pivot pin
Cut 2 turns off the spring

 

[PLC]

Thanks Tac22, BTW - loving all the parts! Question: What do you mean by "Cut 2 turns off the spring".

Also, I am wondering if I may have the wrong spring in there. Would you happen to have a visual reference of the spring? I have a long skinny one with almost a smooth nickel like finish and then a much shorter one that's wider and more rough looking.

Perhaps I mixed them up in the old tool box. Dang I really botched this!

 

[Majorlk]

There is a small plunger/detent that goes between the spring and the paddle. That's probably missing. It's about 1/8" long.

 

[Majorlk]

Thanks Tac22, BTW - loving all the parts! Question: What do you mean by "Cut 2 turns off the spring".

Also, I am wondering if I may have the wrong spring in there. Would you happen to have a visual reference of the spring? I have a long skinny one with almost a smooth nickel like finish and then a much shorter one that's wider and more rough looking.

Perhaps I mixed them up in the old tool box. Dang I really botched this!

You are referring to the springs in the lower for the pivot pin and selector. Neither have anything to do with the bolt latch. The spring involved is about 1/2" long and is under the latch paddle. You access it by drifting out the pin holding the latch paddle to the lower.

 

[PLC]

There is a small plunger/detent that goes between the spring and the paddle. That's probably missing. It's about 1/8" long.

Okay, I do have the plunger/detent. It has a nipple on one side. Does the nipple side go into the spring? If so (or not) exactly where does the spring and plunger/detent go?

I see a little concave hole just under the bolt catch release (under roll pin), does it go there? Or somewhere in the catch release housing?

 

[SimpleWeaponSolutions]

Here is a video showing the installation of the bolt catch on an AR15. This is exactly the same procedure for installing the bolt catch in the 15-22.


Installing Bolt Catch - Building your AR-15 - CheaperThanDirt.com - YouTube

 

[Majorlk]

Okay, I do have the plunger/detent. It has a nipple on one side. Does the nipple side go into the spring? If so (or not) exactly where does the spring and plunger/detent go?

I see a little concave hole just under the bolt catch release (under roll pin), does it go there? Or somewhere in the catch release housing?

The spring goes into the hole. That's where it came out of. The detent (round side out) goes in next. The paddle fits against the detent.

Not to be rude, but this is why people need to do things slowly and look carefully at what's happening when they take things apart that they are not familiar with.

 

[Jyezahn]

Watch this video, it will help you.

Edit: Dang! SWS beat me to it!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F219B7oQVuk

 

[PLC]

Here is a video showing the installation of the bolt catch on an AR15. This is exactly the same procedure for installing the bolt catch in the 15-22.


Thank you SimpleWeaponSolutions, that did it. The video was perfect. I am back up and running now. I just needed to know the order things went in. Thanks to everyone else also.

 

[Majorlk]

I'm glad you got it all back together.